


Paternity

by screamlet



Series: A Question of Science [4]
Category: Star Trek (2009)
Genre: Established Relationship, Kid Fic, M/M, Snippets
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2009-12-19
Updated: 2009-12-19
Packaged: 2017-10-04 15:38:15
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,058
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/31817
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/screamlet/pseuds/screamlet
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Kirk and Spock temporarily have charge of a kid.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Paternity

"Captain, we're being hailed," Uhura said. "It's from the Vulcan colony."

Uhura transferred the message to the main viewscreen, where Kirk was greet by an elderly woman (and at the rate Vulcans age, she had to be positively _ancient_ to show it).

"Greetings, Captain Kirk. I am T'Para. I am employed at the residence of your old friend, Silek."

"Holy -- yeah -- uh -- hey! How is -- is he -- okay?"

"He is not."

Kirk nodded and left the chair. "T'Para, I'll be with you in just a moment. Uhura, I'll take this in my quarters." The screen returned to its usual flurry of activity an and as Kirk walked to the turbolift, he made the slightest motion of his hand towards Spock, who immediately stood up from his post, nodded to Sulu to take the con, and followed Kirk into the turbolift.

When the doors slid closed, Kirk said, "I'm such an asshole. It's been more than a year -- our fucking mission is almost_over_, for fuck's sake -- and now --"

"You should not jump to conclusions."

Kirk raised his eyebrows at Spock. "Seriously? You're going to try _that_ on me?" He waved a hand and sighed. "No, it's fine, I mean. I knew it was -- I guess I just feel awful, you know, because --"

"He desired the separation."

"So did I, kind of," Kirk replied. "I mean, not at the time, but -- he was so right, I was too caught up in hearing about all the shit I could have had I -- it wasn't fair --"

"You have not finished a sentence coherently since you received the communication, Jim," Spock said. The turbolift opened and they walked towards their quarters. "If you would like me --"

"No, stay with me, but I can handle it."

*

Twenty-eight hours later, Kirk, Spock, and McCoy were entering Ambassador Spock's house and were ushered into the bedroom. Kirk stopped short and turned around, placing his hand squarely on Spock's chest.

"Jim?" Spock asked.

"I need you to do me a really big favor," Kirk said. "Really big."

Spock looked over Kirk's shoulder at the room McCoy had entered and then back into Kirk's eyes. "You do not want me to enter."

"It's illogical and crazy and makes no sense but -- please."

Spock acquiesced and Kirk grabbed hold of two of his fingers with his own -- his own strange twist on Vulcan kissing that Spock was so accustomed to, the traditional style seemed almost absurd.

"I will remain here," Spock said, and walked into a smaller bedroom before Kirk left.

*

"It's heart failure," McCoy quietly informed Kirk when he came in. "His pulse is accelerated for humans, practically halted for Vulcans. It's not going to be long."

Kirk sat on the edge of the bed where Ambassador Spock, older Spock, lay on his side. "Hey there," he said softly. "Been a while, huh?"

He had seen Spock, his Spock, this close to death before -- the shallow breathing, the irregular blinking, lips pursed tightly together, and somehow most startling of all, he wasn't attempting to speak to him. No one could be thought of as talkative compared to Kirk, but Spock was surprisingly outspoken about just about anything all the time. If he didn't talk, it was for a good reason.

Wait. That was _his_ Spock, not this Spock.

"So let me tell you about stuff since we last --"

A hand flew up to Kirk's face and he went into one last mind meld with this other Spock.

It wasn't horrifying like the first time -- resignation and relief, and a quick _Best of_ compilation of this Spock's memories. He saw his own counterpart (tanned like he'd never be, glitteringly straight teeth without the gaps in the bottom row, chubby as fuck later on and oh god those uniforms were fucking _hideous_ and how did anyone man a ship in them, _and was he wearing a hairpiece?!_) and felt a lot of fondness resonating around his head -- it was okay this time. He'd learned control. He watched. He felt sad, but shared the old man's relief.

As quickly as it began, it was over.

*

When the link was severed, Kirk snapped out of the momentary shock because of a cry from another room.

"Fuck," Kirk realized.

"The kid," McCoy finished.

They rushed out of the room and bumped into Spock in the house's main room, holding an infant carefully in his arms.

"The kid!" Kirk said. "Oh man, he's so _young_."

T'Para walked calmly out of the other room and the three men turned to her. 

"I take it that he has died."

"Yeah," Kirk said.

"Do you have information regarding the whereabouts of the mother's starship?" Spock asked. "She must be aware --"

"Sir, she is dead. She died in an ambush after the child's ninth month." Kirk opened his mouth, but she interrupted him. "She has no other living relations."

"Of course she doesn't," McCoy groaned. "The three of you can figure out what happens now, but in the meantime, I'm taking Junior here up to the Enterprise for a full scan." McCoy held out his arms, but Spock made no motion to release the child.

"This child's last living bonded relation has severed their mental link," Spock said. "He will attempt to bond with anyone receptive to a connection."

"Then you and the kid come with me and let Jim take care of it; he's captain, after all."

"Wa-_hait_," Kirk interrupted, "You think I'm better equipped to bury a dead Vulcan and arr--"

"Jim, your mental shields are far more developed than the doctor's," Spock said. "I will handle the relevant details here on the surface, inform my father and the elders of this situation, and report back to the ship."

Kirk took the infant from Spock and ignored the plan of attack. "Hey, baby," Kirk said to the child. "Don't you try and bond with me, you got that? Only one pointy-eared bastard per Kirk brain, okay? Let's get your atoms disassembled and reassembled on my starship, hm? How's that sound?"

"His name is Velik," T'Para interrupted. "For his biological father's family."

"Yeah, I guess he looks like a Velik," Kirk replied. "Come on, Bones, let's get up to the ship."

*

Kirk entered the bridge and Sulu shot a quick glance over his shoulder, saw nothing out of the ordinary, and continued to work. After a moment, though, Sulu spun around at his station, looked at the captain's chair, and calmly left the bridge.

He took the turbolift to the deck where the officers' quarters were situated. There were some people milling around, and more in the rec room, so he cupped his hands around his mouth and shouted:

"ATTENTION ALL PERSONNEL. I NEED A CAMERA _NOW_. YOUR LIVES AND FUTURE HAPPINESS _DEPEND ON THIS_. I WILL NOT STOP SHOUTING UNTIL SOMEONE PROVIDES ME WITH SOME DEVICE FOR THE CAPTURE OF --" An engineer ran out of a room with a camera in hand and gave it to Sulu, who bowed in gratitude and sprinted back to the turbolift.

The turbolift took him to the bridge again. Sulu dashed back to his station in front of the captain's chair, turned the camera on, and tried to contain his excitement.

"Aww, Sulu, come on," Kirk complained.

"Captain, _please_," Sulu pleaded.

Kirk looked at Spock, rolled his eyes, and adjusted his hold on the baby in his arms. "Okay, _cheese_," he replied sarcastically.

"Oh hell no," Sulu interrupted. "Commander, please, could you get back in the frame?"

"I do not understand my --"

"He thinks it's fucking cute, Spock, and this picture's going to be blown up and painted on the wall of the rec room in time for the holidays," Kirk replied.

"Captain?"

_It's the closest we're ever going to get to a family portrait._

Spock relaxed his posture and leaned in carefully over Kirk and the infant, giving the camera his highest, pointiest eyebrow. After a few shots (including a few of Kirk looking up adoringly with what he called his 'wife eyes'), the rest of the bridge crew crowded into the shot and looked as familial as they could. By the last shot, Spock's eyebrow was lowered to its usual level and his mouth had relaxed. (Sulu never blew up that photo where Spock's eyes were on Kirk and warm enough to melt a fucking glacier.)

*

Sarek beamed to the Enterprise personally to update them on the situation.

"Records are only extant to the period of the colony's foundation. This child has no living relations, neither on the main colony nor on any of the Federation starships. We are now consulting the many eligible foster parents who have stepped forward to care for him."

"We can take care of him up here until you get it settled," Kirk offered.

"That would be convenient. I thank you for your patience." Sarek still didn't call Kirk 'Jim', but he also didn't call him 'Captain' anymore -- definitely progress.

*

Kirk woke suddenly in the middle of the night and looked around for the source of the noise. He squinted in the darkness and saw Spock sitting in a chair in the other half of their quarters, slouched down further than Kirk had ever seen him, with Velik on his chest. Velik occasionally made sounds that sounded like laughs and giggles, while Spock -- the sound was him speaking to Velik in Vulcan.

He got out of bed, rubbed his eyes, and walked over to the other half of the room. He stopped at the separator and leaned against it. Spock looked up, but didn't move from what had to be a really uncomfortable sitting position to someone with his posture. "You're hissing."

"I apologize if I woke you," he replied.

"Nah, you didn't. Can he understand you?"

"Not the language, no, but it poses no detriment to accustom him to the sound of his native language." Spock rubbed Velik's back and added, "He is a very strong telepath."

"Cool." Kirk stood at the separator for another moment, and then asked, "You're not going to go into crazy Vulcan endangered species mode and try to keep him, are you? Or try and divorce me and… you know."

"I considered asking you the same," Spock said. "Whether you would to me."

"I'm glad we don't have to ask each other things we already know the answers to," Kirk replied.

"Indeed." Spock tilted his head and confirmed that Velik was nodding off.

*

"Wanna see something awesome?" Kirk asked as he walked down to sickbay with Spock.

"Would it be futile to try and stop you?"

"Probably," he grinned. Kirk adjusted his hold on Velik and then rushed into sickbay. Spock, of course, followed.

"Bones!" Kirk shouted. "Bones, I need you, the kid's been coughing and shit, like, once in a while or so --"

Spock _was_ amused. McCoy had been sitting at the desk in his office and when Kirk came in with the child and said the word 'cough' -- even sooner, in fact, when Kirk had said, 'I need you' -- the doctor had practically leapt over his desk to reach them.

"Gimme," McCoy said, not even waiting for Kirk to extend his arms. He simply scooped Velik up and took him away, concerns about instant bonding be damned. "Did you notice anything about the cough? Anything coming up? What did his chest sound like? Dammit, Jim, what did you try to feed him?"

"Hey! I resent that!"

"Spock, answers, please!"

"The captain merely wished to agitate your paternal concern for our amusement," Spock replied.

McCoy turned around and glared at Kirk, who grinned and extended his arms and hands to take Velik back.

"Nope," McCoy said. "You lost baby privileges. Go captain or something."

"Sorry pal, I'm captain _and_ I've got the Vulcan with me who --"

"'The Vulcan'?" Spock asked carefully.

"Burn the bridges, Jim, all of them, just keep going," McCoy laughed dryly.

"Come on, you've already _got_ a kid," Kirk whined.

The sentence hung in the air for longer than it should. Spock watched McCoy watching Velik in his arms and began to lead Kirk away. McCoy cleared his throat for their attention and handed Velik back to Kirk. Kirk led the way out of sickbay.

"You did not apologize to the doctor; he seemed upset," Spock said.

"Not at me; he's probably just going to try and comm Joanna."

"I see."


End file.
